Showing posts with label Cooking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cooking. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

It's almost that time again...

Chili cookoff is tomorrow and this is the 3rd year for Team No Beans MF. We've upgraded to professional shirts this year designed by yours truly:


And the winning recipe is on that white sheet of paper:


You know what they say about the 3rd time?  It's'a the charm. 

Friday, May 3, 2013

Spring has sprung...kinda

May 3rd and it's a beautiful, sunny 64 degrees here in Dallas.  Yes Dallas, Texas.  I'm not sure I've ever worn a sweater in May before but I'm wearing one today.  I had to have one on yesterday since it was a whopping 40 degrees.  Unexpected to say the least.

My garden is back in full swing with lots of kale, tomato, pepper, onion, basil and squash.  We might be on squash overload this year because I threw a few seeds in the garden box early on.  When nothing happened, I got impatient and bought some started squash plants.  Now the seeds have sprouted.  Good thing hubby likes squash.

The biggest disappointment from the last month is that I've discovered I cannot grow an avocado tree here in Dallas.  After LOTS of online research, It appears our climate is too cold as one hard freeze will kill an avocado tree dead.  Boo.  Also they take 7 YEARS before they produce fruit.  I practically eat an avocado a day so I'm not sure I can wait that long (even if it were possible).

I heard about a book called Absolutely Avocados in last month's Redbook mag.  This chick claims you can substitute an avocado for the stick of butter used in chocolate chip cookies.  No lie!  Her food looks pretty good so I'm tempted to order the book and give it a try.

There are also quite a few home renovations in the air for this spring/summer.  And I have plans to put a chicken coop in my back yard!  I'm SO excited about having chickens.  Lots to do - and as my dad would say - I'd "better get busy, cause times a wastin'."

Monday, November 19, 2012

I don't participate in the 30 days of thankfulness like all my Facebook friends but I do have something I'm very thankful for today...

A SHORT WORKWEEK.  I'm taking off Wednesday so that means only 1 day before my mini vacay starts! 

Thanksgiving plans are not nailed down yet but I've decided already that I'm NOT cooking the entire feast like I did last year (even though my first Turkey was spectacular).  It is a lot of work and I think I would prefer to concentrate my cooking efforts this year on appetizers and desserts; Leaving me time to relax and enjoy my time at home with a glass of wine and a pug in my lap.  That being said, I'm going to pick up some goodies from Bolsa Mercado over in the Bishop Arts District:  Roasted All Natural Amish Turkey and Gravy with Sausage, Fennel and Apple Dressing.  I'm also getting the Cranberry & Port Chutney.  My dad HAS to have a cranberry sauce with his turkey or he will refuse to eat it.  Seriously, he wouldn't eat Christmas dinner a couple of years ago because he someone forgot to buy cranberry sauce.  He put his plate in the sink and went into the living room to sulk rather than spend time with everyone else at the dinner table.  I'm not risking that mood again!

I sincerely hope that everyone has a safe, relaxing, wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.

Gobble Gobble.

Friday, October 12, 2012

Chili Cook-off Confidential

I learned a dirty secret at the chili cook off a couple of weeks ago.  Let me start by saying, It was a good time and I worked very hard on my chili.  The way I cook it is simple - I come up with my very own base recipe and the day of, I tweak it depending on how its tasting.  So this involves a lot of sampling and adding ingredients as necessary.  I was very happy with my finished product.  Here is a pic of me hard at work (notice the sign that says, "badass chili located here"):



So anyway, as we were awaiting the results of the chili cook-off, my friends and I started talking to a group of men proclaiming they were this year's winners.  The results had not yet been announced.  Sure enough, this group ended up taking 1st, 2nd, 4th, and a few other places all in the top 10.  So what is the dirty secret?  According to these guys, they use a mix purchased off the internet.  Each one of them does a little something different to their pot of chili so the judges don't taste the exact same thing.  Yet the judges ARE tasting the exact same chili mix with only minor differences.  I was informed by the winners, the way to win chili cook-offs is consistency and the best way to be consistent is a mix.  

I have to admit, I was disheartened by this bit of news.  I thought the whole point was to come up with an original recipe.  I think using a mix defeats the spirit of the competition.  But what do I know?  These guys were going to the competition in Terlingua so obviously they are doing something right.  Still, I cannot, CANNOT, bring myself to use a mix in the next competition.  It just doesn't feel right.

At the end of the day, we made it to the finalist table and got an honorable mention for our chili submission.  I consider this a moral victory - since I DID NOT USE A MIX.  I was incredibly excited we made it that far.  Much better results than last year. One day, I will claim victory at the State Fair Chili Cook-off!


Now here is a picture of the pumpkin I painted for our front porch  ( I actually did this by hand):

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Fall is in the air and its almost chili cook-off time!

Tonight I start my graphic design program at SMU.  I'm really excited about it, although I don't think I will be able to finish it as quickly as I thought.  Unfortunately, our house needs foundation work.  (I'm still not sure if this matter is going to result in a lawsuit so I can't say too much about my bitterness on the subject.)  As of right now its going to cost us quite a bit of money so I will be shelling out for that instead of completing school in a timely manner.  Sigh.  Oh well - at least I'm getting started - and starting school is a sure sign of fall.

Also, pinterest and several blogs I follow are all abuzz with fall decorating.  Wreaths seem to be quite popular with the home decorating set (see here and here).  I've decided to get in on the wreath action this weekend since I can't do other things to my home (like painting or redoing the fireplace - again thanks to the necessary foundation work.  boooooo!)  I'm feeling rather crafty so this is probably a good time to get my front porch looking nice.   I also feel like baking to I think I'm going to make homemade cinnamon rolls on Saturday. 

Sunday is the State Fair of Texas Chili Cook-off.  Yes, Team "No Beans MF" is back!  And this time we are in it to win it.  I learned a lot last year regarding the "rules" so I'm ready to make some badass chili and take home the blue ribbon.  I also talked to my brother, Mark, who knows everything about everything.  We had a 2 hour strategy session with regard to my chili making - such as when to add certain spices and other top secret things I can't tell you about.  

My friend decided she wanted to get in on the chili making this year so we had a mini chili cook-off at the office.  Her chili was excellent.  My chili got more votes.  She was EXTREMELY bitter about not winning (can you say competitive?) and took it out on everyone in the office for a day or two.  I think she's over it now and on board for Sunday's competition.  She can't resist eating chili and drinking beer on a Sunday morning. No matter what, we will still have fun.  We always do.

Looking back at this post, It appears I have a very ambitious weekend ahead of me!  Stay tuned for the State Fair Chili Cook-off Results.  I can't wait to post a pic with my blue ribbon!


Friday, August 10, 2012

Restaurant Week is here!!! Yea!!!

I love a good excuse to go to a fancy restaurant.  KRLD Restaurant Week is the best reason to get your butt out of the house and plan a date night with your husband, boyfriend or best friend.  What is it?  Over 125 restaurants have a three-course dinner for just $35 per person.  And these are really fabulous spots such as Capital Grille, Eddie V's and Del Frisco's. The participating restaurants will make a $7 donation to the North Texas Food Bank or Lena Pope Home for every prix fix dinner purchased.  Dining out for a good cause.  I love it.

Technically, Restaurant Week begins on Monday, August 13th, and runs through Sunday August, 19th, However; Lots of restaurants are giving a preview starting this weekend.  Here's my dining list for the week:


Where are you going for Restaurant Week?  Haven't decided yet?  HURRY!  A lot of places are booked already but you can still make your reservations HERE.

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Yesterday I bought a Wok...


I figured since my garden is taking off so well, I'm going to need it to cook all my delicious veggies. I got a 20% off coupon from Bed, Bath and Beyond to use on one item so this is what I picked:


The Awesome Wok

Of course I had to try it out immediately. I've had Jessica Seinfeld's book, Double Delicious for a while now but I've yet to cook out of it.  I think the book is geared more towards people with kids since a lot of it is about sneaking healthy stuff - like cauliflower puree - into your recipes. I decided to try the Orange Beef.


Orange Beef with Carrots and Broccoli

I have to say, although it didn't look as lovely as the picture above, it was pretty tasty.  The recipe is fairly healthy - it calls for low sodium soy sauce, fresh ginger and fresh OJ.  What really makes it good is the chili paste.  I love spicy food!





And now a picture of Beans, just because I love him so much.

Beans MF

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Quiche Redemption

I remember my mom used to make quiche quite a bit. I helped her with it when I was little. She passed away over 20 years ago and I don't think I've made a quiche since she and I last made one together. Probably because I have a very vivid memory of screwing up one of her quiches and it's given me a mental block.

I was 8 or 9 when it happened. She told me to crack eggs into a bowl. I happily began cracking eggs into something she had already prepared instead of a fresh bowl. I can't remember what she had in that bowl. I think it may have been the crust. I just remember her finally realizing what I was doing and the quiche preparations coming to a grinding halt.

She didn't yell at me or get angry. She just exclaimed over my mistake and put a stop to my egg cracking. Then she proceeded to take a spoon and fish the eggs out of whatever she had already mixed up. I sat there watching her, feeling terrible for ruining my mom's quiche.

Although I can't remember exactly what was said, the words were soothing. I came away with the idea that most things in the kitchen are fixable; It's not the end of the world when things don't go exactly as planned. Only now do I realize this was a valuable lesson I should have used more outside the kitchen.
Anyway, I think I've shied away from making a quiche because of this long ago memory.

But not today my friends!
Redemption, thy name is quiche.

I'm too lazy for crust this morning so I'm going with a crustless quiche in muffin tin. I'm not using a recipe today. I think quiche can be made with whatever.

Ingredients:




That small bit of cheese is fontina. It's delicious but high in fat. That's probably why it's so good. Obviously I'm trying to balance out the cheese by using turkey bacon. Plus it's the only bacon I have.

Cooking the bacon first:




Look mom! Eggs in a bowl! By themselves!





My chives are still alive so I decided to chop them up and throw them into my quiche. I think it's impossible to kill chives.




Hm. This looks like a lot of chive but I think it will be ok.





I also added salt, garlic powder, parsley flakes, and a little pepper (not too much because the bacon is peppered)

I realize I don't know if I should put the bacon in first and top it with the egg or vice versa. It probably doesn't matter right?





I almost forgot the cheese! I read somewhere that if you want to grate a soft cheese like fontina, you should put it in the freezer for a bit to make it easier to grate. Just don't forget about it like I almost did.

Take two, with cheese:




Into the oven they go! I sprinkled the top with Chia Seeds also. I'm kind of obsessed with these at the moment:




Antioxidants! Omega Fatty Acids! Calcium! Aztec Superfood! These things are pretty good for you. Who knew? (well obviously the Aztecs - I wonder if they would think we are idiots for making Obama chia pets instead of eating them. Something to muse about while waiting for the quiches.)

I'm not sure how long to let these cook. I'm thinking 20 minutes or so.

Finished product. They fluffed up quite a bit while cooking but shrunk after they came out of the oven. I may have whisked the eggs too much.




Result: Yummy, but could use more cheese.




Easy fix. I think mom would be proud.


Monday, November 28, 2011

Thanksgiving Turkey Success!

Who made an awesome Turkey for Thanksgiving?  This girl.  

That's right.  Although I have never cooked a turkey before in my life I was able to pull this one off with a little help from the folks over at butterball.com.

Here are my keys to success:

1)  Thaw the turkey properly.  

For Christmas, we usually get a smoked turkey from Greenburg's in Tyler, Texas.  This is a fully cooked turkey so all you have to do is let it thaw.  Its in a paper bag and a box, so my dad usually sets it outside in the garage for a day if its cold outside.  It took a lot of convincing to get my dad to understand you could not do this with a raw turkey.  When I explained it needed to go in the refrigerator or cold water he would respond "but I just put the Greenburg in the garage."  Somehow the difference between a raw and a cooked turkey did not register with him.  I finally managed to convince him to put it in cold water for a while. 


2)  Brine


I went back and forth with a friend of mine on the brine issue.  He suggested I get an injector kit just in case.  I did NOT get an injector kit.  Instead the turkey was put in the following brine:


  • 2 gallons cold water
  • 10 ounces Kikkoman Naturally Brewed Soy Sauce
  • 1/2 cup kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons dried sage
  • 2 tablespoons dried celery seed
  • 1 tablespoon dried thyme
3)  Cooking

I put my turkey in a 350 degree oven for about 3 hours.  I tried to cook the turkey on the green egg but that wasn't working.  After trying for a half hour to get the temperature hot enough I just said forget it and threw it in the oven.  I thought it was going to take longer than three hours but the butterball people say to pull it out when the thigh meat reaches 180 degrees.  I checked it at 3 hours and it was higher than 180 so I pulled it out immediately.  

4)  Basting  

I came up with this on my own.  I was just going to put a little butter to brown the outside of it when I saw a leftover Shiner Bock in the fridge.  Doesn't beer make everything better?  I mixed the Shiner with some butter and basted my turkey every hour. 

The result?

The meat was juicy and tender.  The only problem was that the breast meat wasn't dry enough to make very good slices of meat. (My brother said it would have helped if I had an electric slicer.  I didn't really think ahead to the actual carving part of this scenario.)  Huge Success.  Everyone loved it.  Plus I had my family at my house and got to spend some much needed time with them.  I can't think of anything better than that.

Here's hoping everyone else had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Mission Impossible: Best Burger in DFW

There are some things I'm on a never ending quest to find - the perfect pair of jeans, the best mascara (although I think I've come close with Lash Blast), my absolute favorite bottle of wine (liking them all is problematic).  Add to the list, Best Burger in DFW. 

I don't eat a lot of burgers in general.  So when I want one, I want it to be REALLY GOOD.  I have yet to find THE ONE that stands out above all others to the point where I will forgo other burger places.  Sidedish had an article a few days ago about Elevation Burger.  I have to say, I'm a fan of the grass fed beef so I'll be checking this one out soon.  The Sidedish article also mentions a place called Restaurant Ava which is supposed to have an excellent burger as well.  I love the name Ava so I wouldn't mind checking into this place also; however, its all the way out in Rockwall and I'm not sure I'm counting that as DFW at this time.  Plus, I'm lazy.  A drive to Rockwall for a burger seems like a long way.  Maple & Motor is another Dallas joint on the list of places to visit soon.  Here's what I've tried so far:

Twisted Root - Good but not great. My burger was a little over cooked.

Love Shack - Another decent burger.  The quail egg on top was a cool touch but it didn't knock my socks off.

The Grape - Voted Best Burger 2009 by Texas Monthly, this was, by far, my favorite of all I've tried.  Its a 10 oz. homemade patty with pepper bacon, Vermont white cheddar, horseradish pickles and dijonaise.  Yum.  Still when I think of having a burger I don't think, "OMGee I HAVE to have the burger from The Grape."  

Burger Girl on McKinney - This joint is now closed.  I guess that pretty much sums up their burger.

Yourway Burgers & Wings - I actually bothered to write a Yelp review about this place.  What's cool is that they will infuse your burger with various ingredients.  You can read the full review HERE.  I have been back a couple of times.  Its close to my house which makes it a favorite. 

In-N-Out - This place is all hype.  I just don't get it.  Its not that good and the fries taste weird.

Hopefully I'll come across my favorite soon so I can end my quest to find the best burger.  I cook a pretty good burger myself.  I guess I could always work on my own to make it the best, then when I open my restaurant, people will know where to find the best burger in DFW.  Just sayin.

And I haven't forgotten that I owe you all the secret to the perfect and best grilled cheese.  If you've been on a quest to find the perfect grilled cheese, don't fret!  Its forthcoming...

Monday, October 24, 2011

Cooking from my garden.

I'm very excited about the massive plant in my garden FINALLY producing something.  I couldn't tell if it was going to be a squash or zucchini plant but, after it began flowering, I suspected it was a zucchini.  The flowers are edible.  I had some on my trip to Italy.  The Italians like to stuff them with cheese and fry them.  Delicious.  Here is an actual photograph of one I ate in Italy.  It doesn't look as good as it tasted because this pic is in black and white - but trust me - It was yummy.

I didn't want to eat the flowers without getting some actual vegetable so I had a serious conversation with my plant.  I marched out to my garden and basically threatened to yank its flowers off and start devouring them if it didn't make something soon. Sure enough, after "the talk" a good sized zucchini magically appeared.  Sometimes you have to show your plants who's boss!

Lately I've been obsessed with a website called Gojee.  It pulls all sorts of different recipes from food bloggers and such.  You can actually type in ingredients you have, or what you don't like, and it will spit out some suggestions.  Well of course I typed in zucchini.  I could just cut it up and grill it but after being mean to my plant I decided I needed to do something special.

A quick search led me to Aggie's Kitchen and a recipe for Baked Parmesan Zucchini Sticks.
(Sidenote: Aggie is not an Aggie as in Texas A&M, as I originally assumed.  Being from Texas, I think this was a fair and honest mistake.  Her name is just Aggie - unassociated with the college.)

I have decided to give the recipe a go with my zucchini.  Here is my lovely creation before I butchered it:




You have to cut it up into sticks.  Don't worry, I didn't do this in front of my plant.  That would just be cruel.




The set up: Zucchini Sticks, Egg, Breadcrumb/Parmesan/Spice Mixture




Zucchini taking their egg bath...



After their bath they were dipped in the breadcrumb mixture and into the oven.  I think the Italians would have probably fried them.  Italians fry a lot of things (surprisingly).  This is the somewhat healthy version so they get baked.



TA-DA!  The final Product!  I realize that serving these with ranch took away the health factor.  They would have been good with marinara also.  All-in-all quite delicious.  Highly recommended.










Although this is not a food blog, I have a future post in the works about how to make the Perfect Grilled Cheese - because I have perfected this art and think its important to share with the world.  Stay tuned!

Thursday, October 6, 2011

State Fair Chili Cook-off Part 3: Lets Cook Some MF-ing Chili!

Ok well I know all of my readers have been waiting with bated breath to learn the results of the chili cook off. In case you're busy and don't want to read this whole post I'll tell you straight off: we didn't win. But that doesn't mean my chili wasn't BADASS. Apparently I was in violation of a few "rules" that will be discussed in detail below.

We finally decided on a Team Name and I finished the shirts the night before:







I loaded up my Jeep and headed over to pick up my friend Jennifer.  Our team was downsized considerably when people were told that we had to be out there at 8:00 am.  It was just as well because the Jeep was full!








 

We drove around Fair Park lost for about 20 minutes.  For those of you unfamiliar with the Fair Park area (like myself), it can be quite confusing.  There are street names inside the park but not any "official/legal" street names that will show up on the handy dandy iPhone (not that it isn't a stellar product - RIP Steve Jobs).  We spotted some golf carts and figured this was where we needed to be. (The rules said officials would be driving around in golf carts to check on us periodically).  I snapped a picture of one such cart.  Honestly I'm not quite sure what these ladies were thinking.  I guess they got tired of crocheting scarves and decided to keep their golf cart warm???


Anyway, we found a spot and it was set up time!  My friend bought this huge umbrella type thing to shield us from the sun.  Problem one:  It calls for stakes to be put in the ground to hold it down.  We were in a parking lot.  No going to work...





 
This was my bright idea - Throwing it on the back of the Jeep!





This was her bright idea - Tying 1000 knots to hold it down.  This became problematic when it was time to break everything down and after 6+ beers...





I can't complain too much because her knots did the job.  The guys next to us were pretty cool.  They let me borrow their automatic lighter, like 10 times.  My dumbass brought matches and the wind was not cooperating.  They also shared a margarita with me at some point during the day.  It was pretty good.







My competition...






OK so the deal with the Chili: I was trying to make CASI Chili.  CASI stands for Chili Appreciation Society International, Inc.  One of the rules is no fillers.  Specifically it says:  "NO FILLERS IN CHILI - Beans, macaroni, rice, hominy, or other similar ingredients are not permitted."  So in reading this rule, I assume that things like onion and tomato are alright and had such items in my ingredient list.   I put the onions in my pot first thing to get them cooking.  This chick comes over, takes one look at my pot and the following conversation takes place:

Chick:   "I guess you're not making CASI chili."
Me:       "Actually, I am."
Chick:   "You can't have those onions in there..."
Me:       "I read the rules and it said no beans or macaroni.  I didn't see anything about onions."
Chick:    "Well, let me get one of the other officials to take a look and we'll just see..."

She goes to get one of the other officials who proceeds to tell me that although I don't have anything "illegal" in my pot, the onions must be rendered down to no bigger than my meat or else I won't score very high.  The chick gives me a smug look.  I thought to myself, OK, its like that.  I see how you people are. 

A neighbor two tents down tells me (after my chili is done, of course) that to win at CASI chili you have to have only meat, tomato sauce and spices.  That's NOT how I read the rulebook but whatever....

So this was the final product - my friend and I thought it was pretty tasty.  Do you see any MF-ing onions in there???





Another guy came over during the cooking process to ask me why I thought my chili was a winner.  My response:  "Because I'm BADASS, that's why."  I stand behind this statement and my chili.  Although next year, I'll play by THEIR rules and leave the onions out. 

Anyway, we had fun and drank a lot so that's all that mattered.  Here's my friend and our neighbors before they announced the results.  These guys named their team for a buddy of theirs who had passed away.  Very nice.





The Judging area.  Looks very official with that table lying on the ground, huh?  (I swear I'm not bitter.)






So at the end of the day we walked away with a Participation Ribbon, Two tickets to the Fair, a Parking Pass and some badass chili cooked by yours truly.  Not bad if you ask me.  Plus, there's always next year!





Saturday, September 24, 2011

State Fair Chili Cook-off Part 2: Test Run

Well I got home later than I wanted last night so I decided to save the test run for today. Its best to start off the day with a good breakfast. Check out this little skillet I bought:




Isn't it cute? It holds one egg perfectly. I almost burned my egg taking this pic actually. The smoke alarm went off. Not a good omen.

Now to test out the costume I bought for Beans MF.



He obviously loves it! My little fat pumpkin!

Ok, NOW its time to break out the camp stove. The instructions seem overly complicated.



I'm going to steal a play from the Tao of Curtis and just figure it out as I go.

I spilled fuel everywhere as I filled up the tank. Luckily I have the hose close by to clean up my mess before I catch the house on fire. I figure maybe I should read the instructions after all so I give them a quick scan. Good thing too because I wouldn't have figured it out on my own.





Im ready to light it up!

12 tries later, I think I have fire but I can't see it so it's time to consult the google.

Google says this stove is basically like a Bunsen burner so I should have a low blue flame. Hm. Not exactly what i had going on. Enough with the stove for now. Time to chop some shit.

Here's my ingredients:





I get the stove going after only 1 try and the onions are in the pot! Time to add some meat.




Meat + a few dozen ingredients later and i have this simmering on the camp stove:



So far so good!! Now to let it cook for a bit... Is it too early for a beer? I think not!

After letting it simmer for 30 minutes, it's good but definitely needs more heat. I add some more chili powder, red pepper, paprika, and cayenne. Here is the final recipe (I think):





And here's the final product:






Now to work on the team shirts! State Fair Chili Cook Off, here we come!

Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Friday, September 23, 2011

State Fair Chili Cook-off Part 1: Preparation

I've decided to compete in this years chili cook off! Very exciting!

I head to Wal-Mart to get some items for Sunday's event. Namely, fuel for my Coleman pump stove (on loan from one of my assistants, Pablo).

I'm on a mission for fuel but I'm immediately distracted by Halloween items. Ooooh! Dog Costumes. I need a costume for Beans MF anyway.



I liked the hot dog but its too obvious so I went with the pumpkin. He's going to love it!

Ok so fuel. Camping supplies here I come. Uh oh. Kitchen Gadget aisle is distracting me. I think I need something on this aisle to help with the chili.



I grab a measuring cup/spoon set that is only .88 cents! Ok now on to sporting goods.

Oh wait! I want this vacuum:





But not today because it's $500.

Luckily the lady just announced something about sporting goods on the intercom so I'm reminded of my fuel. Here's the stove I'm using:




But I don't see any fuel!!! Ugh!!!

Ok so I located the fuel. It was conveniently next to the stove.





Yes I just had a blonde moment. I thought that thing on the front of the stove was what the fuel came in but turns out that's just the tank. I'm dumb. :(

Ok so how long does one gallon of fuel last? Hm. I better get two since I'm doing a test run on my chili recipe tonight.

I have to make a quick call to see if I have a folding table at home. I really want to buy this Coleman pop up kitchen but it's $42.00. Hm. I'll pass this time. But if I win then I'm coming back to get it.

Now I need team shirts. I like purple so that's the one I pick. I've been here over an hour and haven't gotten food yet. I need mascara. I've been wanting to try the new one JLo has been advertising but I can't remember the name so I get my trusty lash blast**







Ok - Finally on to the groceries! I really just need meat and a couple of spices I'm low on at home.

2 hours later here's my basket:




I'm forgetting something. I just know it. I'm tired too. And hungry. Time to go.

Check out was quick. Now I'm on my way home to fire up the stove and give it a test run! More to come!

**ladies, I have tried EVERY mascara out there - expensive and cheap. This one is the best, I swear.